Peahen's feathers change to male feathers.

[chickenbuddy]

I had a peahen (now dead) who, after many normal years, start growing male feathers. Eventually she looked quite like a male with not very vivid colors. She lived with a peakock and never laid any eggs, and I never saw the two mate. I was wondering what may have been the case. Please share with me your ideas and experiences with happenings like this one.
Thanks

 

[Wolf-Kim]

My guess would be you had a hormonally challenged bird. It happens with chickens, I imagine it can happen with other types of birds. I think many people call them roosterhens in the chicken world. Maybe you just had a roosterhen peafowl? It sounds very similar to what happens to some hens. Sometimes a chicken hen will get the plumage and wattles of a rooster and sometimes they will and sometime they won't lay eggs.

That's my guess anyway. Hormonally imbalanced.

-Kim

 

[chickenbuddy]

So you're saying she could of had some mixed up hormones. I had that thought also.

~Thanks